Sasi discharged from hosp; stirs controversy after travelling in car sporting AIADMK flag
Expelled AIADMK leader and aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, VK Sasikala, was on Sunday, discharged from Victoria hospital in Bengaluru where she was getting treated for COVID-19. She was taken to a private farm in the city, where she will isolate herself for 10 days before returning to Tamil Nadu.
A large number of supporters and AMMK cadre who were assembled outside the hospital raised slogans in support of her and Jayalalithaa as she was brought out in a wheelchair. Sending a strong signal, Sasikala travelled in a car that sported the AIADMK flag from the hospital, with the ruling party questioning the propriety of her action when she had been ousted from the party.
The AIADMK has time and again made it clear that the 66-year-old Sasikala would not be taken back and her release would not have any impact on the party, which is keen to retain power in the assembly elections, expected in April-May. Sasikala was expelled from the party in September, 2017, along with her nephew TTV Dhinakaran and others by the general council of the combined AIADMK.
On Sunday, the AIADMK in its Twitter handle said the use of its flag by Sasikala was against the law and quoted senior party leader D Jayakumar. “Sasikala was removed from the party and has no right to sport the AIADMK flag in her vehicle. Party by-laws clearly mention that if a person who has floated another party sports the AIADMK flag, it is illegal,” the said Fisheries Minister said. Defending Sasikala, AMMK leader Dhinakaran claimed, “Sasikala is the General Secretary of AIADMK and a case is pending in the court regarding the same. We will continue the legal battle to win over AIADMK and it is one of the reasons that AMMK was formed.”
Senior AIADMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP KP Munusamy, stirred a fresh controversy claiming that ‘if Dhinakaran seeks apology for his past acts, party leadership might consider reinstating him.’ The statement is in stark contradiction to that of the Chief Minister who said that Sasikala and Dhinakaran will never be admitted back into the party.